…………..The Acid Bath Murder
Gregory Afoko, the prime suspect in the 2015 murder of Adams Mahama, the former Upper East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has finally been granted bail after spending almost a decade in detention. The Accra High Court set bail conditions at GH₵500,000, with two sureties who must have fixed places of abode and one of them a landed property.
Afoko’s journey to freedom began in 2015 when he was arrested for his alleged role in Mahama’s death, who was brutally attacked with acid outside his home in Bolgatanga. Despite multiple attempts by his legal team to secure bail, the court consistently denied his requests, raising concerns about judicial delays and fair trial rights.
Afoko’s trial commenced in 2019 and concluded in 2023, but the jury returned a hung verdict on both counts of murder and conspiracy to murder. The court ordered a retrial, and Afoko was re-arrested and denied bail. However, on February 21, 2025, his lawyers successfully applied for bail, and the court granted it.
Although Afoko’s bail is a significant step forward for his defense, the trial is still ongoing, and the state will continue to pursue its prosecution.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
